[CT-NFB] Fwd: Governor Lamont Announces Pilot Program Offering Virtual Mobility Assistance While Using Connecticut Transit

[Mary Silverberg]

Hello All,   Governor Lamont announced today,  a new  18 month pilot
program
making AIRA available on public transit..   Check it out!
Mary

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Governor Lamont's Office <lamont.news at ct.gov>
Date: Thu, Oct 14, 2021 at 5:19 PM
Subject: Governor Lamont Announces Pilot Program Offering Virtual Mobility
Assistance While Using Connecticut Transit
To: Mary Silverberg <marysilverfox at gmail.com>


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Governor Lamont Announces Pilot Program Offering Virtual Mobility
Assistance While Using Connecticut Transit
<https://officeofthegovernor.cmail19.com/t/j-l-zltukkk-tuhktkddhi-k/>

Posted on October 14, 2021

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the State of
Connecticut is launching an 18-month pilot program offering Aira at no cost
for individuals who are blind or have low vision. Aira is a service that
enables persons who are blind or have low vision to connect with highly
trained, live agents in real-time for assistance using the public
transportation system and other essential services.

The Aira service uses a smartphone’s camera to stream live video to an
agent who provides the subscriber with instant access to visual information
about their surroundings. The Aira agents use the live video to narrate and
interpret what they see for the user. This can include how to use the
ticket vending machine, navigate one of Connecticut’s busy public
transportation hubs, or access connecting services.

The Aira pilot program is a collaboration between the Connecticut
Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, and the
Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services. This pilot is
being administered by the Connecticut Transportation Institute at the
University of Connecticut and is being funded through federal research
funding, making it possible to offer an 18-month subscription at no cost to
the user. The pilot program’s goal is to evaluate the Aira service and its
effectiveness in providing travel assistance when using public
transportation in Connecticut, as well as access to essential services. A
complete report and evaluation of the service will be available at the end
of the pilot program.

“This is an innovative way to use technology to enhance the mobility
opportunities for people who are blind or have low vision and provide
access to all of the essential services offered in Connecticut,” *Governor
Lamont said*.

“We’re very pleased to offer this service to customers who may have visual
impairments,” *Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph
Giulietti said*. “Our mission is to give all our riders access to vital
public transportation services. We’re happy to be connecting people with
our state’s extensive transit system to improve their quality of life –
getting people to work, schools, health care, and so much more.”

“We are excited to be part of this pilot program,” *Connecticut Department
of Aging and Disability Services Commissioner Amy Porter said*. “This
innovative technology provides real-time access to information, maximizing
mobility, engagement, and independence for individuals who are blind or
have low vision.”

Nyema Pinkney Cranford, a global continuous improvement manager for a
leading aerospace company, has been an Aira user since the discovery of the
product in 2016. “Aira has changed how I approach life,” she said. “I feel
I can go anywhere with more confidence and accuracy. Whether traveling,
doing things at home, church, or with friends, Aira is my companion. It has
been a real game-changer for me. The agents are always patient, courteous,
and knowledgeable. We even celebrate our successes together when I complete
something that would have otherwise been anxiety-filled or taxing. I trust
the Aira agents because they really work to help me get things done.
Grocery shopping, online purchases, Uber – name it. Aira is always there as
my personal helper to see how to live, not watch life pass me by.”

Connecticut’s Aira pilot program will launch on October 15, 2021 – which is
also Blind Americans Equality Day
<https://officeofthegovernor.cmail19.com/t/j-l-zltukkk-tuhktkddhi-u/> – and
continue through March 15, 2023.

For more information on this program and instructions for how to sign up,
visit ctrides.com/aira-en
<https://officeofthegovernor.cmail19.com/t/j-l-zltukkk-tuhktkddhi-o/>.



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